Reader letters Nov. 6

I would like to take the time to tell you about somenthing that happened about a month ago. You see, I have a disabled daughter that doesn’t talk yet and she’s four years old.

She had gone out to eat in Waynesville with her father and her older sister.

Now, because she doesn’t talk yet, she screams to communicate. There was a lady that said as loud as she could, “Would somebody just kill that kid already?” My brother and my husband were extremely angry that she would even say that. The manager, Morgan, threw her out and completely defended Miranda as if she was his own.

I just wanted to tell you about an amazing person in Waynesville.

Kelly Carlson

Waynesville

Stand up for prayer at Nov. 8 game

To the editor:

I am writing in response to the article about “Amplified prayer is illegal” in the Oct. 30 edition. It states that “after looking into legalities, Haywood County administrators discovered it was against the law to pray over a microphone.”

According to Pat Smathers, school-sponsored prayer at the beginning of a football game was prohibited and had been for several years. Is this just a Haywood County law?

The article references a case in Santa Fe Independant School District (not in NC) in which a prayer given by a student communicates a violation of the Establishment Clause.

Attendance at other football games in surrounding counties in NC has led me to believe this is just a Haywood County scare tactic as there have been prayers said over the intercom system, one led even by a student body president.

Hence my invitation to “Let’s Pray Before We Play” of the Tuscola Mountaineer fans that we begin to recite the Lord’s Prayer. This is a right given to us by our forefathers as Freedom of Speech.

It was told that if this was continued, it could lead to less government funding for our schools. It was also told that if prayer was allowed, that other religious entities would be allowed to do whatever. That is their right.

We as Christians will band together and continue to recite the Lord’s Prayer. Our county came together at the Tuscola-Pisgah game and recited the Lord’s Prayer which was captured on video. What an awesome sound that was!

We are allowing other people to remove God from everything, our schools, our money and this is what is wrong with our country now,

I can remember as a child in Haywood County schools, we began our day with our pledge of allegiance and prayer. I know several of the school board members who also participated in this during that time.

I am amazed that one letter from an attorney can scare one to silence.

On Nov. 8 at the Tuscola-Franklin game, we will stand strong, tall and united to recite the Lord’s Prayer. I invite the school board and Mr. Smathers to attend. You might be humbled back to your knees.

Sharon Franks

Waynesville

Cut Maggie police force

To the editor:

I cannot express enough my outrage at the Oct. 31 post in the Mountaineer entitled a “Call to action.”

The post is feel good rhetoric and socialist demagoguery, indicative of a large segment of society, not fit to vote, and who have no fundamental understanding of the

primary function of government, or who and what the police are.

To portray business owners in Maggie, whom a Nazi police department of 18 (many hired under federal grants) have damaged for years, in a town of 800, as “Bar stool politicians” is unbelievable.

If the hapless taxpayers of Maggie only had a clue of the outrageous conduct of these revenue goons acting like Barney Fife on steroids, they would tremble at the commercial liability Maggie has.

It is a miracle the Town has escaped massive tort action in the past, or have they? Would the public have been informed? One officer with 1.8 hours of constitutional law from BLT school allegedly had an encounter with a federal judge at a traffic stop, in which the judge placed calls to outgoing governor Bev Purdue about his heavy-handed treatment.

Countless other horror stories abound of encounters with these pirates with blue lights holding up tourists, fisherman and patrons.

To impugn the “values” of business owners, as this women cheerleader writer did, because they don’t think their patrons should be harvested for revenue, by citation writing dimwits, all dressed in black whilst playing army and with no place to go, at festivals, and events is beyond indignant.

What people don’t know is municipal police were never created by an act of the Constitution, or the state legislature and are exempt from the administrative procedure act as they have been deemed by N.C. courts as nothing more than private municipal security guards.

I applaud the people of Maggie for finally waking up, albeit too late, as Maggie has been turned into a Ghost Town. Ironically, what these high and tight goons did not for see is they have worked themselves out of a job. Cut the force.

Art Patten

Waynesville

Courthouse lawn transformation is impressive

To the editor:

Kudos to all elected officials and other denizens who had a vital part in relandscaping our historic Haywood County Courthouse.

Personally I believe this outstanding structure is by far the most beautiful edifice in Haywood County.

What a shame for it to be hidden all these years by far too many trees.

Because of a lingering illness, I was unable to see this extensive transformation for quite some time.

Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Congratulations are in order.

Wiley H. Smith

Waynesville

Comments (1)

Posted by: Allen Alsbrooks | Nov 12, 2013 20:03

Stand firm Art Patten.

The beauty of our great country is we are not only entitled to our opinion but we are allowed to share it in a public forum.

While I don't think of our police force are henchmen or goons. I do believe they provide a valuable service to Maggie Valley and her visitors. As with any government entity I do believe we can become more efficient in our spending. We might be able to become more lean as well.

What I find appalling is that an Alderman-elect would confront you and challenge your opinion. It is further appalling that the same Alderman-elect would even approach your employerand accuse them of influencing your opinion (I'm being kind here). The nerve! Last time I checked this was still The United States of America...a Republic for which we ALL stand.

Mountaineer readers are encouraged to share their views on topics of concern in the community. Letters printed in the paper must not exceed 350 words, should not attack another individual or a business and should be about a timely topic of local interest.